Working Around Heavy Equipment

•Preplanthejob.Setupdrive-throughoperationstoreducetheneedforequipmenttobackup.

•Participateindailyhazardassessmentsaroundthesite.Placewarningsignsandinstallbarrierswhereneededtopreventhazards.

•Understandthedifferentsoiltypesandlearnhowtorecognizethem.

•Neveruseacellphoneorothermobiledevicewhileoperatingorworkingaroundheavyequipment.

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Working Safely On or Around Heavy Equipment HEALTH AND SAFETY ADVISORYWORKING AROUND ROOF OPENINGS AND SKYLIGHTS

Workingonoraroundheavyequipmentishigh-riskwork.Ifanincidentoccurs,theresultisoftenalife-alteringinjurysuchasabrokenbone,headinjury,or,inmanycases,lossoflife.Incidentsinvolvingheavyequipmentdeeplyaffectnotonlythepersonwhoisinjuredbutalsothepersonoperatingtheequipmentoranyco-workersnearby.

Tocontroltherisks,followthesafeworkpracticesbelow.

Safe Operation of Heavy Equipment

•Before operating the equipment, perform a circle check to ensure that everything is in proper working order.Remembertodocumenttheresults.Herearesomethingstolookfor:

YOUR

V E H I CLE?C I R C L EDID YOU

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UCTURE HEALTH & SAFETYASSO

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S044

UseIHSA’sCircle Your Vehicle sticker(S029)orwindowdecal(S044)asareminder

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►

►

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Windowsarecleanandnotcrackedorbroken.

Mirrorsareclean,notcrackedorbroken,andareadjustedproperly.

Backupalarmsandcamerasareworkingproperly.

Lightsareworkingproperly(nightworkisbecomingmorecommon).

Equipmentguardingisinplace.

Fireextinguishersareaccessibleandarefullycharged.

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•Alwaysworkinaccordancewiththemanufacturer’soperatingmanual.

•Asperthemanufacturer’sinstructions,onlyacompetentworkercansetupanddismantletheequipment.

•Whereapplicable,ensuretheequipmentcomplieswithO.Reg.856:Roll-overProtectiveStructures.

•Whereapplicable,ensuretheequipmenthasacab/screentoprotecttheoperator.

•Noworkerispermittedtooperateheavyequipmentunlesstheyareconsidered“competent”.Dependingonthetypeofequipmentinvolved,thiscouldmeanhavingthepropertrainingorholdingacertificateofqualification.(Note:Incaseswherecertificationisnotrequired,anMOLinspectormayuseothermeanstodeterminecompetency,suchastheemployer’srecordoftrainingordirectobservationofhowtheoperatorisusingtheequipment.)

•Ensurethereisproperaccessandegresstotheequipment.Stepsand/orladdersshouldbeclean,wellmaintained,andskid-resistant.Maintain3-pointcontactwhengettingonorofftheequipment.

•If the equipment comes with a restraining device (i.e., seatbelt), the operator must wear it.

Working Safely On or Around Heavy Equipment

•Iftheoperatororanotherworkerhasaccesstomechanicallyoperatedpartsofamachine,makesurethereisprotectiveguardingorfencingaroundit.

•Theoperatormustneverstayinthevehicleorequipmentwhileitisbeingloadedorunloaded.

•Theoperatormustalwaysbeatthecontrolswhenequipmentpartsorloadsarebeinglifted.

•Theoperatormustensurethatnopartoftheequipmentoritsloadpassesoveranotherworkerunlesstheotherworkerisdirectlyinvolvedinreceivingtheloadorengagedinsinkingashaft.It’sgoodpracticetousebarricadesandsignagetopreventworkersfromenteringhoistingareas.

•Useasignalleriftheoperator’sviewoftheloadortheintendedpathoftravelisobstructed.

•Nevergetcloserthantheminimumdistancetoatrenchorexcavationwalls.Determinethisdistanceaheadoftime.

Table 1: Minimum Distances to Overhead Powerlines

Source: O. Reg. 213/91, s. 188

Voltage Rating Minimum of Powerline Distance

750to150,000volts3metres(10ft)

150,000to250,000volts4.5metres(15ft)

Morethan250,000volts 6metres(20ft)

•Never get closer than the minimum distance to overhead powerlines.Haveaplaninplaceanddeterminethelimitsofapproachaheadoftime(Table1).Useasignallerifit’spossiblethattheloadortheequipmentcouldencroachuponthelimits.

•Beforeexcavating,ensurealllocatesandmarkingsarecompleteandareavailabletotheoperatorintheequipmentcab.

•Alwaysusesaferiggingpracticesandsafematerialhandlingpractices.

A publication of the Civil Engineering Sector Labour-Management Health and Safety Committee in partnership with the Infrastructure Health & Safety Association

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•Usefallprotectionwhenrequired.Thismaybeneededwhenoperating,maintaining,orinspectingtheequipment—andinsomeinstances,whenrigging.

•Neversmokeinequipmentthatisconsideredanenclosedworkplace.

•Iftheequipmentisbeingtowed,usetwomeansofattachment.Ifonefails,theothermustbeabletoholdtheload.

Inspection and Maintenance of Heavy Equipment

•Performinspectionandmaintenanceproceduresasperthemanufacturer’sinstructions.

•Ensureequipmentguardsareinplace.

•Whenrequired,useblockingwhencarryingoutrepairs.

•Ensurelockoutandtaggingproceduresareinplaceandarefollowed.

•Usecagesorsafetychainswhenchangingtiresorwhenexposedtoapotentialexplosionhazard.

Storage of Heavy Equipment

•Alwaysstoreorparkequipmentinasafelocationontheproject.

•Neverstoreequipmentnearsourcesofenergyorstructurallyunstableground.Insomeinstances,groundingmayberequired.

•Ensure all equipment attachments are on the ground (buckets, blades, etc.).

Working Safely On or Around Heavy Equipment

•Takeextraprecautionsonslopedgroundsornearanexcavationtomakesurethatunattendedvehiclesorequipmentwillnotbeabletomove.

•Lockcabdoorsandwindowswhenunattendedtopreventaccesstotheoperator’scab.Iftheequipmentdoesnothaveacab,locktheoperationconsoletopreventunwanteduse.

•Alwaysturnthemasterswitchoff—thisdisconnectsthepowertotheignition.

Formoreinformationincludingsafetytalks,products,andtrainingonthissubject,visittheHeavyEquipmenttopicpageontheIHSAwebsite:www.ihsa.ca/topics_hazards/heavy_equipment.aspx

September2015